Mook Monday (1): If I Stay

The critically acclaimed, bestselling novel from Gayle Forman, author of Where She Went, Just One Day, Just One Year, and the forthcoming I Was Here.

On a day that started like any other, Mia had everything: a loving family, a gorgeous, admiring boyfriend, and a bright future full of music and full of choices. In an instant, almost all of that is taken from her. Caught between life and death, between a happy past and an unknowable future, Mia spends one critical day contemplating the only decision she has left. It is the most important decision she’ll ever make.

Simultaneously tragic and hopeful, this is a romantic, riveting, and ultimately uplifting story about memory, music, living, dying, loving.

If I Stay directed by R.J. Cutler

Release Date: August 22, 2014

Genre: Young Adult Romance

IMDb Summary:

Mia Hall thought the hardest decision she would ever face would be whether to pursue her musical dreams at Julliard or follow a different path to be with the love of her life, Adam. But what should have been a carefree family drive changes everything in an instant, and now her own life hangs in the balance. Caught between life and death for one revealing day, Mia has only one decision left, which will not only decide her future but her ultimate fate.

Book Review

I had to read If I Stay before I watch the movie, so in mid-August, 2014, I bought the book. I finished it in one sitting. It was a quick read, but a deep one.

I love, love, love the quotes. Especially the last one that I highlighted, the one on the The Story Behind the Story page:

Love can make you immortal.

More quote love later. Back to my thoughts on the book.

I found If I Stay to be very unique, it had words for how teens feel about love, and all the other things that they encounter while growing up.

I love Mia’s parents, their passion for music, their love for their children, and how they try to understand what Mia’s going through at the moment. Their support is admirable.

I love Kim, too. She’s a true friend, one that’s like family. And Adam…I just have to say that he says great swoony words. But he’s not my favorite character, because my fave is Mia’s grandfather. Gramps is drop-dead awesome for being such a strong person.

If I Stay is very, very, tragic and it’s so, so painful. Reading Mia’s thoughts on choosing whether to stay or not made me feel emotional.

***

Quote love! ❤

“People believe what they want to believe.”

-Kim

First highlighted quote–I had a “so true” moment upon reading it.

“But the you who you are tonight is the same you I was in love with yesterday, the same you I’ll be in love with tomorrow.”

-Adam

Who wouldn’t swoon for Adam with this line? ❤

“Why? I mean what can you do in a second?”

-Kim

“So I can show her that I’m here. That someone’s still here.”

-Adam

This conversation between Kim and Adam reached my heart. Knowing that someone wants to be there for you is the best feeling–THE BEST FEELING.

“I just think that funerals are a lot like death itself. You can have your wishes, your plans, but at the end of the day, it’s out of your control.”

-Denny

Truth strikes, truth hurts.

Dying is easy. Living is hard.

But living for the people you love is worth the hardships, right, Mia?

“So I just wanted to tell you that I understand if you go. It’s okay if you have to leave us. It’s okay if you want to stop fighting.”

-Gramps

THIS. I had a “THIS” moment upon reading this because hey, it takes someone with a strong, strong heart to tell a dying person whom he loves that it’s okay to let go. I admire your strength, Gramps. #GrampsForTheWin

“But seventeen is an inconvenient time to be in love.”

-Kat

Another “so true” moment with a bit of a “THIS” moment. Mia’s mom spoke of reality. This is the truth nowadays. People fall in love at young ages. And it’s truly, very inconvenient to fall in love when you’re young. But what can we do? We can’t unlove the people we love, can we? Because when we truly loved something or someone, the love will stay in our hearts forever. We will lose things, we will lose people, but love, it’s there forever. If it goes away, it’s not love.

Favorite Quote:

“Sometimes you make choices in life and sometimes choices make you.”

-Denny

This is my favorite quote because it showed the other side of making choices; a side that I never thought existed until this quote made me see it. And now I see it, now I know.

If I Stay is an emotional book about living, dying, and standing on that fine line when you have to choose between the two.

***

Initial Rating: 5

Bonuses: 0.5

Demerits: None

***

Final Rating: 5.5/5

Movie Review

Is the movie overrated or did I just expect too much?

The thing about expectations is that you should always lower them. Because when you expect too much and you don’t get what you wanted, you get disappointed, a bit pissed off, even.

I made a mistake on expecting too much for the If I Stay movie. The movie did not give me the feels that the book gave me. I can’t help but to compare, because the movies of the most special books in my heart made the books even more special. Take A Walk to Remember and The Fault in Our Stars. The movies brought the characters to life–and watching Jamie + Landon and Hazel + Gus on screen just made me tear up.

Sadly, for If I Stay, it’s different. Mia and Adam sure looked good together, there’s no debate to that, but they weren’t able to capture the feels of the book. I watched, but I barely felt anything except a little awkwardness because (am I the only one who noticed this?) there’s too much kissing. I didn’t cry, at all. But I loved that scene between Mia and her grandfather. The one when he said that it’s okay to let go. And also that scene with Adam, when he sang for Mia. But other than that, *sighs* I don’t know what to say anymore.

***

Initial Rating: 2.5/5

Bonuses: 0.5

Demerits: 0.125

***

Final Rating: 2.88

If I Stay Mook Rating: 4.19

People have reasons for making their choices, and we can never fully understand those reasons. We just try to. And trying is more than enough.

I haven’t read the book yet I watched the film and I cried a lot! Yet your review convince me to read the novel. I already read Where She Went because I was very curious on how Adam and Mia’s story would end. 🙂

I watched the movie first before I was able to read the book. I remember buying the book too when I heard the movie’s about to show but I never got around to reading it, sadly. Gramps for the win! Very strong.